Word to the wise: Tea Party voters favor smart, educated candidates

By: American Decency Staff

"Mr. Akin, a six-term member of Congress who is backed by Tea Party conservatives, made it clear that his opposition to the practice was nearly absolute, even in instances of rape," the New York Times reported.

And Akin remains associated with the Tea Party in the minds of many political reporters. For instance, the summary of a Daily Beast item on the 2014 Georgia Senate race explains that "there will be no Peach state Todd Akin after the disparate Tea Party strands in Georgia failed to produce a competitive candidate."

But Akin only won his nomination in part because disparate Tea Party strands in Missouri supported competing candidates. Akin had wanted the support of the Tea Party activists, and received the endorsement of his House colleague Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who had Tea Party credibility.

Otherwise, the Tea Party activists and leaders supported the rest of the field. Sarah Palin endorsed Sarah Steelman, the former state treasurer; so did the Tea Party Express. FreedomWorks, on the other hand, backed John Brunner. Akin only achieved Tea Party status in the media when he made that incorrect, ill-fated comment.

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